architecture-reviewlisted

> **Reference path.** `<refs>/` below means the shared reasoning layer, which lives at > `skills/stackreason/references/` when installed as a plugin, or at > `~/.claude/skills/stackreason/references/` when the skills are installed individually. > Use whichever exists. # Architecture Review Design skills answer "what should we build". This one answers "was what we built right, and what breaks next". Read `<refs>/design-principles.md` first. It is the reasoning layer this review applies. ## What This Is Not Not a code review. Not a security audit. This looks at **component-level decisions**: which services exist, why, what they cost, and what fails first. If the user wants code quality, say so and stop. ## Hard Rules 1. **Never recommend a rewrite as the headline finding.** It is the least actionable advice available. Find the specific component that is wrong and cost the specific change. 2. **Never flag something as over-engineered without pricing the removal.** "You do not need Kafka" is an opinion. "Removing Kafka saves $610/mo and costs you replay you are not using" is a finding. 3. **Never recommend adding infrastructure without naming the measurement that would justify it.** 4. **Grade against the system's actual requirements, not against a reference architecture.** A design that looks unusual but meets its numbers is correct. ## Phase 1 — Infer the current architecture Read, do not ask. The repo knows most of this. | Source | Tells you | |---|---| | `docker-co